PS 1124 
.B3 B4 
1886 
^opy 1 



BEYOND- THE -VEIh 



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BE YOND THE VEIL 



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Alice Williams Brotherton 




CHICAGO 

CHARLES H. KERR & COMPANY 

175 Dearborn Street 

1886 



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Copyridit by 
Charles H. Kerr .V Compaxy 

iS86 



CLARK & LONGLEY. PRINTERS, CHICAGO 



Prelude. 



The end is noi in the grave. 

There is a time 
To rest, as to conne and go 
On God's errands, to and fro. — 

Like a half-writ rhyirie 
If my life nnust be laid by, 

For a little space; 
As the poet's soul is stirred 
With new insight and the word 

Speeds at length to its right place ; 
So this life in^which I see 
But half-nneanmgs, in the grave 

Laid away, 
In that Life whereto I tend — 

Some day, some happy day, 
Waking refreshed and calrri and brave, 
I shall read clear, to its end. 



BEYOND THE VEIL. 



One weary with much weeping slept and dreamed : — 

A poor soul wandering in the outer gloom 
Which lies beyond the portal of the tomb, 
Felt a wild longing in its inmost breast 
To look upon the City of the Blest. 
And it arose and fled through shadows grey 
With never guide except that wish alone, 
Which drew it, half-resisting, ever on. 
Communing sadly with itself alway : — 
" It might have been— Woe, woe ! it might have 

been 
That I, too, through the gate had entered in, 
And walked with the pure souls to whom the grace 
Is given to look upon Jehovah's face, 
And work His will (as once on earth) in heaven. 



6 BEYOND THE VEIL. 

But now mine hour is passed. No place is given. 
Though long with bitter weeping I have sought, 
Wherein my expiation might be wrought : 
My day is sinned away : too late, too late 
Cometh repentance! 

" Yet unto the gate 
Of the fair city, New Jerusalem, 
Whose rainbow tinted walls of carven gem 
Proclaim unto God's children from afar 
Their Father's home where many mansions are — 
I fain would go ; to bend a single glance 
Upon the glory of the place. Perchance, 
(For I will plead so humbly !) it may be 
The gracious Angel-guard will pity me 
Nor wave me from the gate, but grant my prayer 
To stand and gaze one little moment there, 
Viewing the shining streets whereon have trod 
The feet of those who journey up to God ! 
Then, after that one look, I will retrace 
Swiftly my steps to my appointed place." 



BEYOND THE VEIL. 

So saying, swift advancing, on it passed, 
Leaving the gloom behind it : till at last 
It saw the City of the Blest appear : 
Whose walls far reaching, as it drew more near, 
Shone — even as the prophet has foretold — 
With a great shining like transparent gold. 
With beryl and with jacinth, jasper-stone, 
Sardius and amethyst, emerald, chalcedon. 
And myriad gems beside, whose marvellous sheen 
Was such as never mortal eve hath seen. 

But lo, the gates, when it had come thus far. 
Stood open wide, with never bolt or bar : 
Nor any warder with uplifted sword 
And angry frown was there the place to guard. 
Then the soul, listening, trembling — half with fear 
Half with an awe-filled reverence — drew near 
And looked into the city wistfully. 
There was a sound of far-off melodv. 
But all the streets were still, nor was there sight 
Of any soul : only a wondrous light 
Filled all the place. 



8 BEYOND THE VEIL. 

And straight a wild desire 
Seized on the soul to view the glory nigher. 
" Perchance this hour the Angels all are gone 
Deeper into the City where the throne 
Must be," it said, " and so the streets are still. 
Ah, if I might but venture ! Yea, I will. 
Since none is here to hinder sure I may 
Just enter in and go a little way !" 



Thus saying, through the open gate it strayed. 
At lirst wdth bated breath and sore afraid. 
Then, since none did molest it, bolder grown. 
With ever-quickening steps it hastened on. 
Leaving the shining portals far behind ; 
And knew it not, but wandered on to find 
Fresh marvels and new beauties everywhere, — 
Till, of a sudden pausing, it was 'ware 
Of a bright Presence swiftly drawing near. 
And fain it would have fled but that its fear 
Forbade, nor was there any place to hide. 
Then the swift Presence halting at its side 



BEYOND THE VEIE g 

Looked it with piercino- glances through and 

through 
And queried : — " Soul, whence art thou ? " And it 

knew 
The Crucitied ; and dared not meet His frown, 
But crying : — " Pity, Lord ! Forgive ! " fell down 
Weeping and quaking at his feet. 

Then He : — 
" What have I to forgive ? " 

So, falteringly, 
There at the Master's feet with sob and wail 
The stricken soul poured forth the whole sad tale — - 
How it had been a sinner upon Earth, 
And in the After-World amid the dearth 
And chill and darkness lying there without, 
Had wandered long, a prey to fear and doubt 
And evil thoughts and wild despair : until — 
Drawn by an impulse stronger than its will — 
It rose and fled, nor paused until it stood. 
Awe-filled, before the Citv of the Good. 



lo BEYOND THE VEIL. 

Finding no warder at the outer gate, 

No bolt or bar nor any hindrance set, 

Nor seraphim with flaming dreadful sword ; 

Tremblingly it had ventured hitherward 

Into the city, led by a wild hope 

To look upon the glory ; then to grope 

Its way again unto its wonted place. 



So paused, and looking up into His face 
Wondered exceedingly to see no frown 
Thereon, but only mild eyes looking down 
Upon it, kneeling. And a voice said " Nay, 
Why then depart when thou art free to stay ? " 
" Master, O mock me not ! " the spirit cried, 
" Pity me rather : sorely am I tried ! " 
" Alas, poor soul ! " He said " Hast never heard 
That which is written in the Holy Word : — 
' Whoso shall hear My voice and come to Me 
I will in no wise cast out ' ? Child, for thee 
The promise holds good also. Thou art here. 
Do I reject thee ? Put away thy fear."' 



BEYOND THE VEIL. n 

" Nay ", the soul faltered, " but I heard no voice. 
Between the good and evil made no choice. 
The time was passed. I only longed to flee 
Out of the gloom, and hither come and see 
The beauty and the glory forfeited 
Bv mine own sinfulness ! "' 

"Yea, child'*, He said' 
" And that same louirlno was the Father's voice. 
None Cometh unto me save of His choice. 
Poor Soul ! And didst thou think that little space 
Of time on Earth was all wherein the grace 
Of God was open to thee ? — that the tomb 
Sealed once for good or ill thy final doom r 
And were that like to One whose tenderness 
Is infinite as His iVlmightiness r 
Didst thou not dream that, in the outmost part 
Of all. His voice divine might reach the heart, 
And draw thee, ever nearer, on and on 
Unto Himself and Me r So hath He done. 
Peace ! Though thou hast not chosen Me indeed. 
Have I not chosen thee ? I know thv need 



12 BEYOXD THE VEIL. 

Of Me, and bid thee ' Come, abide with me.' 

Within the City there is room for thee. 

And that thou well mayst know this thing is true 

I give a sign, — What would'st thou I should do ? 

What is thine inmost wish ? Look up and speak ! " 

The awe-struck soul arose, and answered meek : — 

" Master ! If I might touch thy garment's hem 

And be made clean ! Thou didst thus unto them — 

The loathly lepers once in Palestine, — 

O, if Thou wouldst but lay Thy hand divine 

Upon me now, this leprosv of sin. 

This weight of pain and fear I bear within, 

Would fall from off me like a garment vile ! " 

" Lo, it is done ! '' He answered with a smile. 

And straight it seemed as if from off its sight 
The scales had fallen, for to left and right, 
Near and afar it saw a gracious band 
Of beautiful, tall, shining Angels stand, 
Which had been with them from the first. Not strange 
Their faces seemed, but, with some glorious change, 
Like unto those of dear friends known and lost 



BEYOND THE VEIL. 13 

On Earth. And there was none of all that host 
But did rejoice with it exceedingly, 
Making its joy their own : " Now glor}- be " 
(They cried) " unto the Lord ! Without the gate 
No wistful soul need trembling stand and wait. 
No need to knock — the doors stand open wide, 
Whoso doth seek shall lind the Crucified. 
Sister ! we saw thee enter in, though thou 
Couldst see us (for thine eyes were sealed), but now. 
Come, thou beloved, with us — for there be 
Full many here, have waited long for thee ! " 

The Master gently bade : — " Soul, go thy ways 
With these; and after, for our Father's praise — 
To whose dear Name for aye all praise shall be ! — - 
Some task there shall be given unto thee: 
For there is need of service from us all. 
Go now and rest until thou hear the call. 
My peace be with thee, daughter ! '' 

Then with eves 
Lifted and filled with tears of glad surprise, 
And smiling lips, and brow from whence was gone 



14 BEYOND THE VEIL. 

All shade of sin, the pardoned soul passed on 
Circled about by the rejoicing throng: 
And a new voice was added to the song. 

And zuith a start the sleeper^ hi the face 
Of tJie glad sold tJiat entered into grace ^ 
Of a sudden knezv — fier ozvn : and, zvaking^ zuent 
Upon her zvax -filled zvith a great content. 



Not here the end — not here ! 

Infinite Tenderness 
Hath infinite zuays^ we knozi\ 

To save and bless. 

JVor dooms to eternal zvoe 

The soul that learns., — 
Through Sifi [if it must he so!\ 

Tfiat sears and I)urns. 

Since all Shadozv comes from Light : 
Having ceons to Inid and orozL\ 



Surely Good from Sin, at fast. 
Shall sprino; also. 



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